The artistry will be glittering at the second edition of the Dance Reflections by Van Cleef & Arpels Festival, which runs in London from 12th March to 8th April at the Royal Ballet and Opera, Sadler’s Wells, South Bank Centre and Tate Modern.
Following on from the hugely successful inaugural event in 2022, this iteration of the festival created in partnership with the world-famous French luxury jewellery company features 15 dazzling shows from a whole gamut of different cultures.
Taking place at iconic venues in our capital city, Dance Reflections showcases artists who, in the words of Catherine Renier, President & CEO of Van Cleef & Arpels, have specialised in, “Collaborations with prestigious partners, contributions to major choreographic events, support for emerging and touring artists… These various commitments, in keeping with the values of creation, transmission and education dear to the Maison, all meet the same objective of celebrating contemporary choreographic art.”
Including repertory works, dance workshops, artist forums and awareness-raising initiatives, all emphasising the connections between dance heritage and modern choreography, the festival highlights imaginative ways in which dancers have evolved exciting new…
A tribute to the work of one of the fundamental figures of French Modernist painting
After three years in the making, the Amar Gallery is bringing to London Hélène de Beauvoir: The Woman Destroyed, a unique exhibition featuring paintings and works on paper from the 1950s to 1980s by this French artist, crucial to the feminist movement. Often overshadowed in the past by her older sister, Simone – the groundbreaking […]
Despite being separated in time by nearly 200 years, Sigmar Polke felt a deep admiration for Francisco de Goya. The show at Museo del Prado, Sigmar Polke. Affinities Revealed, explores how the Spanish master influenced the work of the German painter, after he saw for the first time Goya’s Time and the Old Women in […]
As the UK Parliament has chosen March to be Women’s History Month and with Watches & Wonders round the corner, we talked to our friends at Watchfinder & Co to help us shine a light on just a few of the iconic women who have played a pivotal role in the evolution of the much loved wristwatch.
Elizabeth I – the first A trendsetter in her own right; the first ever wristwatch is believed to have belonged to none other than Elizabeth I, the Queen of England. The wristwatch – a tiny clock set in a bracelet – was gifted to her by Robert Dudley, Earl of Leicester in 1571(1). This piece, referred to as an “arm watch” at the time, was one of two timekeeping devices she was believed to own; the other, located in a ring, also included an alarm function. Although the timepiece given to the Virgin Queen by Dudley was striking in its innovation, apparently it was not that unusual to for Dudley and his circle to offer their Queen elaborate clocks and watches as a way to show their loyalty and the value of their service.
Queen Marie Antoniette with a rose painted by Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun in 1783.
Marie Antoinette – the patron Marie Antoinette was known to be a patron of Abraham Louis Breguet, the Prussian born watchmaker whose Maison still exists and thrives today. Marie’s patronship was invaluable to the watchmaker, with the Queen of France ostensibly propagating her love for watches in general and Breguet’s in particular, to both her court and Emperors across Europe. The most famous timepiece associated with Marie Antoinette is no. 160, a pocket-watch that at the time all possible complications known to man and completely made of gold. Romantics believe that it was commissioned by her lover, Count Hans Axel von Fersen. Unfortunately the French Queen lost her head before the watch was finished. Neither Fersen nor the same Abraham Louis Breguet would see the watch either. The “160” was only finished by Breguet’s son four years after his death, in 1827.
The original Breguet n. 160, which remained horology’s most complex mechanism until the last century…
Romantics believe that it was commissioned by her lover, Count Hans Axel von Fersen. Unfortunately the French Queen lost her head before the watch was finished. Neither Fersen nor the same Abraham Louis Breguet would see the watch either. The “160” was only finished by Breguet’s son four years after his death, in 1827.
Mercedes Gleitze was the first person to swim the Straits of Gibraltar and the first British woman to swim the English channel.
Mercedes Gleitze – the headline maker It could be argued that Rolex, the titan of modern watchmaking, owe their initial success as a waterproof watch manufacturer to a woman called Mercedes Gleitze. In 1926, unveiled the waterproof watch that established the Swiss firm’s reputation, the Rolex Oyster. It was given this name because it was clamped shut like an oyster shell and could survive under water. Two major technical innovations made the single-case wristwatch watertight: a screw-down back and bezel, as well as a newly patented winding crown. The wearer could screw down the crown to seal the case.
In 1926, Rolex launched the Oyster, so called because it was clamped shut like an oyster shell and could survive under water…
In 1927 Mercedes Gleitze, became the first British woman to swim the English Channel and the first ever to do so whilst wearing a waterproof watch. The watch in question was a Rolex Oyster and her cross channel accomplishment propelled the new model into the news, helping secure its place in history.
Panthère de Cartier was first marketed in 1983 and it’s been a classic ever since.
Jeanne Toussaint – the creative Another person of importance was Jeanne Toussaint – Cartier’s Artistic Director of Jewellery. Jeanne was a young creative living in Paris in the early 1900’s. Her close-knit circle of friends included Coco Chanel, George Barbier and, most crucially, Louis Cartier – one of three brothers managing their late grandfather’s company, Cartier. In 1933, Jeanne was appointed as Cartier’s Artistic Director of Jewellery, signalling one of the most recognisable and collectible eras in the Maison’s history. Jeanne was a visionary, cited as both the muse and the driving force behind Cartier’s style in the 20th century. Her propensity to wear a full-length coat made of panther fur earned her the moniker “petite panthère” – something that has woven itself into the fabric of the Maison ever since.
Jeanne Touissant used to wear a full length panther fur coat for which Louis Cartier affectionately nicknamed her “Little Panther”…
In 1914 the first panther motif appeared on a platinum wristwatch by Cartier, it was produced with onyx and pave diamonds, in the pattern of a panther’s spots. In 1983 (7 years after Jeanne’s death) Cartier launched the Panthère. With its sleek design, concealed clasp, and linked bracelet, it quickly became a huge hit. The Panther motif continues to be present in the company’s watch collections today.
New Code 11.59 by Audemars Piguet Selfwinding Chronograph / 41 mm in rose gold and a black ceramic middle case.
Jasmine Audemars – the progressive Jasmine Audemars is the chairwoman of the Board of Directors for Audemars Piguet – the only watchmaking brand still in the hands of its founding families. Jasmine was the editor-in-chief of the prestigious Journal de Genève for 12 years before her father asked her to take over the presidency of Audemars Piguet in the early 80s. In 1992 Jasmine succeeded her father as the chair of the Board of Directors for Audemars Piguet and has been at the helm ever since.
We must continue to combine innovation with fine watchmaking tradition…
– Jasmine Audemars.
Under her leadership Audemars Piguet has made unprecedented progress, embracing modern trends in materials, style and updating and expanding its core offering. Jasmine also spearheads the Audemars Piguet Foundation which supports various research and development projects as well as a number of humanitarian and social initiatives.
The Piaget Altiplano Ultimate Concept, introduced by Chabi, won the Aiguille d’Or at CPHG 2020.
Chabi Nouri – the award winner The CEO of one of watchmaking’s most respected maisons, Chabi Nouri joined the Richemont group in 1998 and Piaget in 2014, becoming its CEO three years later. Since becoming CEO, Chabi has been responsible for steering Piaget through one of the industry’s most difficult and challenging periods. Her ambition has been to modernise the brand, while capitalising on its history and heritage.
Chabi is known for her passion and energy, both of which she has infused into Piaget from the moment she joined in 2014…
Last year, under Chabi’s stewardship, Piaget re-introduced the Altiplano Ultimate Concept Watch, a 2mm thick technological marvel which won the coveted Aiguille d’Or at CPHG 2020.
The brilliant Jaeger-LeCoultre Master Control Chronograph Calendar.
Catherine Renier – the digital innovator Jaeger-LeCoultre appointed Catherine Renier as their CEO in 2018. Formerly of Van Cleef & Arpels, Catherine has weathered the storm of Covid-19 and used it as an opportunity explore new digital innovations for the Swiss Maison. Last year Catherine and her team partnered with Google to allow users to explore Jaeger-LeCoultre’s latest product novelty – the new Master Control Chronograph Calendar – through Google search AR. This functionality enabled users to see the watch at scale, embedded into its environment through a 360° view. They were the first watchmaking brand to beta-test such a feature.
Renier’s philosophy is based on authenticity, heritage, craftmanship and experience…
MKX
Combining characterful design and an automatic movement developed and assembled under the roof at the Manufacture, the collection represents a benchmark for the company as it is the first time that Jaeger-LeCoultre combine a chronograph with a triple calendar.
The UK Government stops export of Georges III’ watch
Best of times and worst of times It was a time of conflict. The Napoleonic war had already been in force for five years when on 29th June 1808, Abraham Louis Breguet sent watch no. 1297 to Recordon (his agent in London) for King George III of Great Britain. Given the state of relations between the two countries it is remarkable not only that the watch was ordered but that it was delivered at all. A naval blockade and a trading ban with the British had been declared. For the King to purchase a French watch during this period, given the resident talent of London watchmakers, speaks volumes of the regard in which Breguet was held overseas. The risk of sending such a valuable item between two warring countries must have been a significant concern since the chance of the watch being seized was a real possibility.
At the end of January 2021, the UK Government imposed an export bar on Breguet watch no 1297 after it was sold by Sotheby’s back in June 2020. While Caroline Dinenage MP, Minister for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport, cited reasons related to Royal provenance and public interest driven by the success of Bridgerton – a TV fictional “soft porn” account of Georgian Britain, the expert report submitted in support of the export bar concluded: “Its rarity makes it a great prize for a collector anywhere in the world but in a British public collection it relates particularly to the science and understanding of horology, time and measuring, as well as more broadly to the social and political history of Britain and Europe. Its loss from Britain would be a misfortune.”
A champion is needed to keep this piece of horological history on British soil. The price tag attached to this heroic act is £2.4million. The export bar is to allow a British buyer to come forward before 28th April 2021, although it can be extended to 28th September if suitable interest is shown, to offer the same price and keep the watch in the country. However, the true importance of the watch lies beyond past ownership as it is a definitive statement in the history of horology.
A champion is needed to keep this piece of horological history on British soil. The price tag attached to this heroic act is £2.4million…
Sotheby’s sold the watch as part of their “The Collection of a Connoisseur 掌上的百年風華: 鐘錶及裝飾藝術收藏” in June 2020. Lot 28 hammered at £1.575 million. However, it is unclear to date as to whether the export bar applies to the watch sold at auction or if there has subsequently been a private sale to an overseas buyer. To retain it within the UK, the new buyer would have to pay £2 million plus the VAT bill of £400,000.
The parallels across time are uncanny: once again, the Breguet no. 1297 has been sold and bought by an overseas buyer of some prominence, with the usual problem of how to get the watch to its new owner; and whether the Government in power will allow it to leave the country.
The spring of hope It was the reign of terror. Paris, August 1793, the party in power had taken to passing laws that would lock down the populace and restrict movement. Abraham Louis Breguet was on the run with his son and sister in law. Amidst the maelstrom of violence and recrimination, the former watchmaker to the French Court, previously a volunteer in the revolutionary army, friend of Marat, was fleeing to the safety of Geneva from the blood washed streets of his adopted Paris.
In the peaceful centre of the vortex, Breguet devised a mechanism and means to isolate the balance for a watch from forces acting upon it; the delicate beating heart of the movement would now be protected from the outside world by means of a rotating cage around it. Breguet called it “tourbillon”; French for whirlwind.
Breguet saved the life of his friend Marat by dressing him as an old woman and escorting him through the angry mob in the streets..
The death of Marat, J.L. David (1793).
Among the library of horological complications that Breguet found solutions to, the tourbillon was arguably his greatest invention. According to George Daniels, he devised the tourbillon in 1795 whilst living in self-imposed exile in Switzerland, but it was not patented until 1801. Montres Breguet S.A. are celebrating 220 years of the tourbillon this year. Breguet made his first tourbillon watch (no. 22) in 1800.
His second tourbillon watch, numbered 169, was made in 1808 in homage to his friend and fellow English watchmaker John Arnold. This watch is now part of the British Museum collection. Both early tourbillon watches had rotating carriages of one-minute duration.
Despite the watch being engraved by “Recordon” of London, Breguet’s signature can be seen beneath the balance wheel.
After the first two, Breguet introduced a small series of tourbillon watches with their carriages rotating once every four minutes. The one sold by Sotheby’s back in June 2020, pocket watch no 1297, was from this series; it may well have been the first sold to the King of Great Britain. However, this timepiece is unique in terms of the series. It is the only one to have a dial in English and hence is labelled “Whirling About Regulator”, a literal translation from the French “Régulateur à Tourbillon” that accompanies other Breguet watches of this type.
It is the only one fitted with a Robin escapement with the tourbillon, making it one of a kind. It is also the only example from the group known to have the addition of a thermometer. Not surprisingly, the original price of FF4,800 was the highest figure paid for any of the watches from this series.
Tourbillon watches are, even today, difficult to manufacture. This is a unique watch by the very man who invented the complication two centuries ago. Independent of Royal provenance, the watch is important in terms of horology. Despite being the acknowledged expert on the subject matter, this watch was not known to George Daniels when he published his book: The Art of Breguet. Nonetheless, Daniels notes that this series of Breguet four-minute tourbillon watches follow the same basic design as no. 169, but that they are superior both in terms of their movement detail and by virtue of their larger yet slimmer size.
Breguet’s description of the tourbillon mechanism, which he started devising as early as 1795 and patented in 1801.
The Breguet certificate for no 1297 details that the case was decoratively engraved by Tavernier with a sunray design and the letters “G & R” accompanied with the crown of the King of England. Dial and movement are signed by Recordon. The only visual indication that the watch owes its production to Breguet is the signature located on the tourbillon carriage. Had the watch been inspected upon delivery to the King, it could easily have been an English-made watch.
A far better place King George III had a known passion for horology. As a young man, watch work was made part of his education. Some of the notes that he made on the subject are part of the Royal Collection and were lent by Her Majesty the Queen to the 1955 Exhibition, Five Centuries of British Timekeeping, held at Goldsmiths’ Hall. The King was also the champion of Harrison before Parliament and the Board of Longitude.
Given the difficulties in transporting a watch from France to England at the time, it was probably the novelty of the new horological invention that was used to garner interest in his Majesty to order from Breguet. Recordon (the London agent) probably alerted the King to the fascinating new “whirling about regulator” that had recently been invented. The British monarch was a keen scientist and was known to be interested in scientific instruments. A tourbillon would have been a fascination. The watch enabled the precision timing of events while considering any variations due to temperature that could be recorded on its dial.
King George III As with most Breguet watches of this type, the direct provenance from George III’s ownership until now is difficult to determine. The watch showed up under the possession of Malcolm Gardner when it was lent to the Five Centuries of British Timekeeping Exhibition (1955) as mentioned above. It was sold at a Sotheby’s auction 9th November 1999, lot 78. Since then it has been in a private collection. How it moved from the Royal collection to Mr Gardner is unknown.
King George III was passionate about horology. He even learnt watch work as part of his education.
George III in coronation robes by Allan Ramsay (1773-1775).
Should the watch be retained in the UK it would be fitting to put such a masterpiece of horology on public display. There are two or three options within London. The Clockmakers Gallery at the Science Museum, the Clock and Watch Gallery at the British Museum and the Museum at the Royal Observatory at Greenwich are all worthy depositories.
The other Breguet Like other Breguet watches that have recently been offered for auction in London, no. 1297 was part of a sale of other items and, irrespective of the price, there are the same questions over whether important works of art held by residents or Museums in a particular country should be allowed to sell and thus see that nation lose part of its cultural heritage.
Watches of this calibre (pun intended) are starting to become headline news. For the second time in six months Sotheby’s has included an important and prominent Breguet pocket watch in a sale of other items. The sale of Breguet pocket watches held at the LA Mayer Museum in October 2020 was halted once the Israeli President’s office was alerted to the auction. The legal implications have now reached all the way to the Israeli Supreme Court.
Why such prominent pieces should be included in catalogues that contain a wealth of other important art is difficult to determine or understand. Any of the unique Breguet pocket watches would normally headline a dedicated sale in horology rather than being part of a catalogue of collectibles, whether from a Museum or a private collection.
The Breguet no. 2788, currently at the centre of an international dispute to establish ownership and right to sell.
Sotheby’s presumably knew that they had a few prominent Breguet pocket watches coming up for sale. If so, it is difficult to see why they were not catalogued together for a dedicated auction. Within six months, Sotheby’s were selling a unique tourbillon pocket watch previously owned by George III and the unique resonance watch once owned by his son, the Prince Regent. The question is: why were the two watches not headlining the same sale?
While Breguet no. 1297 awaits its fate to see if it will leave the United Kingdom, there is also the question of where the Breguet no. 2788 currently resides. Given the expert report that justified the export bar on the Breguet tourbillon did so in terms of its uniqueness and horological importance, the same could justifiably be said of the resonance watch.
Words: Dr Andrew Hildreth
Opening picture: King George III Breguet watch with the description of the escapement in English. (*) Image courtesy of the Museum of Fine Arts, Belgium. www.fine-arts-museum.be All watch pictures courtesy of Sotheby’s.
Aimed at supporting emerging sculptors, the British National Sculpture competition returns for the 11th year with a prize purse tripled to £45,000. In 2009, Rinus and Aniet van de Sande founded the British National Sculpture Prize (NSP) to inspire, motivate and support emerging artists living in the UK. More than a decade on, the prize continues to represent the UK’s premier platform for emerging sculptors to showcase their talents by having their work publicly displayed alongside established artists at the Broomhill Sculpture Gardens in North Devon.
Broomhill Sculpture Gardens are part of the Broomhill Estate which lies in a glorious, undulating valley in North Devon, surrounded by hundreds of acres of woodland and bound by its own stream. Considered to be the South-West’s most enchanting gardens, the estate features over 200 sculptures, and is divided into two elements: the river meadow which houses the National Sculpture Prize (NSP) and the top gardens which house the permanent collection. Combining stunning art, beautiful plants and abundant wildlife, the garden offers delights at every turn. The estate is also home to a stunning eight-bedroom late Edwardian luxury hotel which is currently under refurbishment and will reopen this summer.
Currently under refurbishment, the luxury hotel in the estate will be ready to receive guests this summer.
Emerging outdoor artists are invited to submit their work for consideration up until the end of February. From all entries, 10 artists will be selected for the shortlist and awarded £2,500 each to create a sculpture which will be displayed at the Broomhill Estate in Devon for a whole year. The theme for 2021 is Out-thinking the Future. From this list, two winners will be chosen in October 2021. One overall winner chosen by a panel of experts will secure a £15,000 prize. One “People’s Choice” winner decided by popular vote will secure a £5,000 cash prize.
The NSP has established itself as a cornerstone of the fine arts ecosystem, supporting and elevating emerging outdoor artists by providing a platform for new talent. Past winners include artists such as Graham Guy Robinson (2012), renown for his “Temporary Fence” series of artworks – ongoing since 2003 and China-born, London-based Tian Zhu (2014), whose work combines light humour with a sharp sense of critique, and she describes as “hiccups – to interrupt and disturb.
“Hiccup” created by Tian Zhu out of her impulse to disrupt, was the winning work in 2014…
In a change to previous years, it is interesting that the competition is open to all aspiring sculptors and no longer requires applicants to have attended an art college or university. It is a real democratisation of this opportunity.
Now under the ownership of Frictionless Fine Arts Limited, the Broomhill Estate is entering a new chapter and will build on the reputation honed over the past 24 years by continuing and expanding its mission to support the arts. Part of this commitment is the continuation of the this annual competition to encourage and commend new and emerging artists.
London-based artist Jessica Wetherly won in 2019 with her work “The Wild Things Are”
Frictionless founder and CEO Alex F Kleiner III explains: “We have a bold and innovative vision to evolve Broomhill Estate as a preeminent sanctuary for fine arts, broadly defined. The first signal of our commitment to this vision is in affirming our annual sponsorship of the NSP and immediately tripling the purse to a whopping £45,000. It is also our sincere pleasure to name the judge’s prize after its creators, Rinus and Aniet van de Sande. The future of fine arts in the UK is frictionless!”
For more info on the National Sculpture Prize and key dates, please visit http://www.broomhill-estate.com/nsp Artists can now register their interest by emailing their contact details and link to social media profile to nsp@broomhill-estate.com and follow #NSP2021 and #NSP.
Given the current pandemic situation, we can’t take anything for granted, so I started looking around to see what was available online to keep us and our children busy and stimulated in a new way.
“Body, Mind, Spirit” is linked to a National Curriculum subject and is visiting PHSE for a second time. In February and March, the aim of this online educational platform is to be informative and to educate out prejudice and celebrate LGBT+ people, in all their rich diversity, and for them to be more visible.
Founded in 1994, LGBT+ History Month celebrates lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender history; the history of the gay rights and related civil rights movements.
Starting next Thursday 18th February, The UK Parliament has invited students from Winchester School of Art to tell the stories of the LGBT+ through the records held by the Parliamentary Archives.
The first event, “Winchester School of Art: reviving LGBT+ history” is scheduled for Thursday 18th February, 6 pm. For this occasion, the UK Parliament is handing the mic over to students from Winchester School of Art. The Parliamentary Archives and Winchester School of Art set students on the BA (Hons) Graphic Arts course the task of creatively responding to the LGBT+ records held by the Parliamentary Archives. The students came up with unique and imaginative projects to tell the story of LGBT+ legislative history, which they present in this 60-minute talk.
Students at Winchester School of Art came up with very original projects to tell the story of LGBT+ legislative history.
Students have used a variety of mediums to create work on themes such as the difficulties faced by the LGBTQ+ community throughout history, the values of the Pride movement, and the experience of being a lesbian in today’s world.
Ian Jackson, Senior Teaching Fellow, BA (Hons) Graphic Arts at Winchester School of Art, University of Southampton said, “It was an incredible experience for our Graphic Arts students to see and learn about the important LGBT+ material contained within the Parliamentary Archives. The material highlighted to students the unique challenges of LGBT+ issues and agendas over time and within the context of equality today. From this, students embraced the challenge of engaging with archival research to inspire contemporary visual outcomes. This collaboration has enabled students to produce an informed, relevant, and exciting range of work across digital and print media.”
The second of these online talks is titled “Queer histories from the Palace of Westminster” and it will take place on Thursday 25th February, 6 pm.
This online 45-minute talk commemorates hidden queer histories from the Palace of Westminster. Focussing on two monarchs Edward II and Henry VIII, the talk explores themes of good kingship, the role, and authority of the church in matters of sexuality and the impact of medieval legislation on behaviour.
In addition, there is Rainbow Quest, which has been specially created to use with LGBTQ+ youth. The game is a wonderfully inspired game. It reaches out to people of any age or sexual/gender identity. Its beauty is that it is the trifecta of board games: it teaches culture and history, manifests social skills and confidence, and cultivates copious amounts of laughter and fun. This makes it the perfect new board game for your LGBTQ+ family game night, school GSTA, support group, or community drop-in centre. Or treat yourself and invite friends over for a great evening of PLAY!
For more information and to book tickets, click HERE
You can also Subscribe for FREE to OUTburst, their bulletin, for reports of events the Schools OUT UK committee attend. Follow LGBT+History Month on Facebookto find podcasts and webinars.
Jaeger-LeCoultre, in association with luxury publisher Assouline, have launched the ultimate volume about one of the most iconic watches in modern history: the Reverso. Richly illustrated with archive images and original photography, the story of the Reverso comes to life thanks to the writing ability of author, historian, journalist and horological specialist Nicholas Foulkes.
Although the book is obviously mainly about the history of the Reverso, Foulkes’s narrative talent transforms it into the most evocative “biography” of the evolution of aesthetics and style in the 20th century. It starts with the 1925 Paris Exposition of Decorative Arts, which represented the rise of the design culture that would dominate the period between the two world wars, known to all of us as “Art Deco”. Art Deco was a celebration of all that the prewar world had repressed: travel, romance, exuberance, self-indulgence…
It was in this context that de Trey, a Swiss dentist-turned watch distributor, challenged by his friends to create a watch that could turn over to protect the fragile glass when playing polo, patented the name Reverso. This was 1930. One year later, thanks to Swiss watchmakers Jaeger-LeCoultre, the Reverso came to market.
Reverso advert from 1979 evoking the elegance and romance of the 1920s, when Art Deco reigned supreme.
The Reverso was easily the most technically integrated watchcase yet to come to market; its design was dictated not by a desire to be different but by mechanical functionality. Its value lay not in the costliness of its materials and lavishness of its embellishments but in the ingenuity and intricacy of its engineering. Its choice of materials, its intentions, its innovative manufacture and the need it met made the Reverso in many ways the quintessential Art Deco product.
With its sleek form and unique reversible case, the Reverso has remained an eternal expression of modernity for 90 years, continually reinventing itself without compromising its spirit. Its blank metal flip side, which began as a purely functional solution, became a canvas for creative expression, decorated with enamel, engravings or gemstones, in order to adapt to all kinds of trends and fashions, be that the brutalism of the post-war era or the surge of quartz movements, which famously brought the whole Swiss watchmaking industry to the brink of extinction.
The Reverso One Duetto is adorned with baguette diamonds, front dial in mother-of-pearl and back in deep black adventurine.
With more than 50 calibres and several hundred dials, writing the history and evolution of this watch over nine decades and keeping the reader’s undivided attention doesn’t sound like an easy task but once again, Foulkes literally weaves his magic, bringing in the social milieu and cultural changes that provided the backdrop to the evolution of the Reverso, including the story of the founders, Jaeger and LeCoultre and how their inventions impacted the horological world since before the 20th century, when they were separate companies; and have continued to do so after joining forces, particularly after the Maison integrated its whole Manufacture under one roof, bringing together 180 different skills.
Giovanni Soldini’s radio message after rescuing fellow racer Isabelle in the middle of an around the world race… which he went on to win.
The book includes emotional stories from more than a dozen owners who have personalized their watches in deeply meaningful ways, adding sentiment and helping to bring to life this symbol of timeless modernity, conceived on the playing fields of the British Raj and in the ateliers of two watchmakers from the quiet valleys of Switzerland.
Opening picture: Illustration from the ’30s of the Reverso function, highlighting its versatility
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
A graduate of Hertford College, Oxford, Nicholas Foulkes is an author, historian and journalist. A former editor for London’s Evening Standard, he is a contributing editor to Vanity Fair, Financial Times How to Spend It and The Rake; and luxury editor of British GQ. Best known for his trilogy of 19th century British histories, Last of the Dandies, Dancing into Battle, and Gentlemen and Blackguards, he has published around thirty books on history, the arts and style. Among his recent works are a biography of the painter Bernard Buffet, the official history of Patek Philippe (both by Random House); and Time Tamed, a history of mankind’s calibration of time from the Palaeolithic era to the moon landings (Simon & Schuster).
With all the makings of a crime mystery, this was easily the horological story of the year: a watch that has been the subject of scientific endeavour, created by the genius A. L. Breguet, owned by royalty, lost, found, stolen and in the end, the subject of a potential fraudulent liquidation of a museum’s assets at a prestigious London auction house.
Certain objets d’art seem to cause patterns in human behaviour that resonate over time, objects that fascinate and capture the imagination of generations. Breguet’s watches and clocks from the David Salomons collection (now housed at the L.A. Mayer Museum, Jerusalem) most definitely meet the criteria. They are undoubted works of horological art, still influential and still lauded.
The initial impulse
Our story started a few months ago when I received news that there were three notable Breguet pocket watches at Sotheby’s London and that they would be around for a short while for viewing. Due to COVID restrictions, these were very limited. I asked to see the catalogue – as watches of this magnitude would normally be the star lots of any horological themed auction- and I was handed a booklet entitled “Select Works from the L.A. Mayer Museum for Islamic Art Jerusalem” with the Breguet’s listed in some detail as lots 205 through 207 towards the back.
The Breguet n. 2788 is at the centre of a controversy that involves much more than horology.
I posted on Instagram about the watch with a question mark over the valuation, which appeared to my eyes far below where it should have been. Watches in this rarefied field are usually listed as the price on application (POA) or with at least six zeros after the initial number. The post elicited some comments from collectors I knew, who also questioned the valuation and sale. One had even filed a lawsuit in Israel. With the Israeli press becoming involved, a notice of the sale reached President Rivlin who took to the modern soap-box that is Twitter to question why such goods were being auctioned off in London. With the sale less than a few days away it was a race against time to halt it.
On 28th October, the auctioneer stood on the lectern and announced that the lots for sale had been postponed and that it would now take place in November. Despite assurances to the audience and to journalists, at the time of going to press, the sale has still not taken place. Further lawsuits have been filed in Israel to prevent it ever taking place. At the centre of it all is a Zurich based lawyer Dr Herbert Winter, the head of the trust and foundation in charge of the L.A. Mayer Museum’s funding, who has remained resolutely mute on the subject.
Breguet’s influence
The watch that had caught my attention from the three Breguets at auction was the no. 2788 resonance pocket watch. Despite the importance of all of them, this one was arguably the most significant both in terms of history and horology. It was once the property of the British Royal household, an experimental scientific instrument and effectively, a prototype for the form watches made by George Daniels and Francois Paul Journe in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The F.P. Journe Chronomètre à Resonance is the direct descendant of Breguet’s no. 2788.
There are three resonance watches made by Breguet that are known to have survived the approximate two centuries since their manufacture: no. 2667, 2788 and 2794. The latter two are part of the collection at the L.A. Mayer Museum. George Daniels, in his book, The Art of Breguet, described the watches as “examples of an experiment to demonstrate Breguet’s theory of dynamics as applied to oscillating bodies.” Although it was a known phenomenon in pendulum clocks, Breguet realised that the same forces would be at work between balance wheels where the motion was transmitted through the movement plate.
Within the watches, the escapements, in close proximity, could be adjusted in terms of the distance between them so tests could be run on how they influenced each other. Because Breguet thought that disturbances in the air would also prove to be a problem between the oscillating balance wheels, he constructed the weights inside and on the 2788 watch only, a thin smooth steel guard to minimise the effects further. In other words, pocket watch no. 2788 is the most advanced in terms of thinking about the problem.
Back and forth
The importance of no. 2788 to Breguet was reflected in the price. It was sold on 2nd October 1818 to King George IV of Great Britain (then Prince Regent) for 7200 francs. The other two were sold for less. Watch no. 2667 was sold on August 1814 to a Mr Garcias in London for 5,000 francs. Finally, no. 2794 was sold on 3 September 1821 to Louis XVIII King of France for the sum of 7,000 francs.
One of Breguet’s many applications for a patent on a horological invention.
The last time one of the Breguet resonance watches came up for sale was back in 2012 at Christie’s (no. 2667) and it sold for 4.3million CHF. Although there is a practice within auction houses of offering lots at low estimates to engage interested bidders, the suggested range for no. 2788 was only 10 percent of the sale price for an arguably lesser watch eight years earlier. The “numbers” were not adding up. Why would the L.A. Mayer museum part ways with its most valuable piece and why at such low range for bids?
No. 2788 was interesting for reasons beyond horology. After being part of the Royal household, it went missing for several years, then showed up under the ownership of Sir Berkeley Sheffield, Bt. and then of Louis Desoutter before he sold it to Sir David Salomons in May 1920. The watch was passed onto his daughter: Vera Bryce Salomons who in turn donated the collection to the L.A. Mayer Museum in Jerusalem.
The watch collection was held on display there until April 1983 when a lone thief – Na’aman Diller -broke into the room and stole most of the important watches in the cabinets. The most famous of which was the Breguet no. 160 “Marie Antoinette”. When I asked as to whether the no. 2788 was part of Diller’s inventory, the auction house and the museum declined to comment. However, it is known that Diller was meticulous in his planning and knew which the most valuable watches were to take. It is highly likely that no. 2788 was taken along with the 160 and just over one hundred others.
Breguet watches on display at the L.A. Mayer museum, Jerusalem.
Whether the watch was returned by Diller or whether it never left the building, no. 2788 remained at the museum once Diller’s illegally obtained items were returned and until it was selected to be part of the auction in London.
Synchronised momentum
Shortly after the post on Instagram (22nd October 2020), I received a call to notify me that a lawsuit had been filed in a court in Jerusalem against the sale of the items from the L.A. Mayer Museum of Islamic Art with the Ministry of Justice, Corporate Authority and Registrar of Associations (case number: C1 / 1.15 / 122).
The filed lawsuit listed a series of 18 complaints that questioned the ownership of the items, the rationale given for selling them and the timing of the sale in general. In short, the lawsuit pointed out that if the items were the L.A. Mayer Museum’s to sell and if they reached their upper estimate total in the catalogue, the museum could only run for another year on the money. More to the point, the bulk of the funding (around 80 percent) came from a very well-endowed trust fund: the Herman de Stern Foundation.
The Israeli press was alerted. I was interviewed by The Times of Israel on the matter. The sale itself was halted three days before the auction was to take place once President Rivlin tweeted that Israel’s museums were “The repositories of enormous spiritual and material assets for the State of Israel and the Middle East, and we must do all we can to keep them in Israel.” The Hermann de Stern Foundation then suspended the auction “Due to our great respect for the president of Israel” promising to come to an agreement with the Ministry of Culture; but the questions over why the sale and the selection of items remained.
The movement of the Breguet no. 2788, a compendium of his final thoughts on resonance.
Resonance
In the time since the suspension of the auction, there have been several other developments. The intended liquidation of assets has become headline news in Israel and other lawsuits have now been filed. Other evidence has come to light to question why the auction was necessary or which entity had the legal authority to sell.
A confidential investigation by an asset tracing company into the financial well-being of the Stern foundation in November 2020 concluded that “Therefore, while it remains entirely possible for the Museum to have suffered financial pressures in recent times and particularly in light of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, we do not note the presence of significant financial red flags as cited to drive the disputed auction”. The need to reportedly sell significant items from the museum’s collection is not born out by the financial accounts.
There is also the question of ownership and whether the museum or the trust had the right to sell the items in the first place. Some of the board members of the foundation also sit on the board of the museum. According to Israeli lawyer Shachar Ben-Meir, quoted in Haaretz, there is a conflict of interest in the decision-making. All decisions should be made solely for the museum’s benefit and not benefit the foundation or vice versa.
The Times of Israel reported about the controversial auction as early as last November.
To complicate matters further, there is a legal question mark over whether ownership is in the hands of the Foundation or museum. In terms of the original will left by Vera Salomons, the watches and other items belong to the museum, which ran into financial difficulties in 1995 and as a result, the ownership of items may have been transferred to the Foundation. Nothing is quite black and white in this grey legal area. Doron Shorer, who was the court-appointed liquidator from the 1995 financial difficulties, recently said to Haaretz: “I don’t know if this is permissible or if it’s compatible with the founding documents. Salomons’ donated the museum and the items without the right of transfer and accordingly, to the best of my recollection, all of the collections belong to the museum. If a change was made, later on, I don’t know if it meets the requirements of the law and the original museum regulations.”
One final red-flag lies with permission to offer the Breguet no. 2788 for sale. The museum began determining which items it wished to sell and contacted the IAA (Israel Antiquities Authority) in June 2019 to obtain approval to remove 145 items that were created before 1700 (which would qualify them as antiquities). No approval was requested for 130 items of later origin which would include the watches. There is a strong possibility that the IAA did not act in accordance with the Israeli Antiquities Law; section 26 of which says that if a museum owner wishes to liquidate a collection, they should inform the IAA and enable the state to purchase the items.
Rachel Hasson, who worked for the museum for 44 years and was at the time its Artistic Director, was baffled by the fact that the museum had used her name to justify the sale. In her statement to the Israeli Supreme Court, she declared, “I first heard about the sale two weeks ago from a company. No one consulted with me. I thought they got out of it and found other budget sources. I chose only things that were in the warehouse, items that were in bad condition, whose value was low, that were restored. The pieces they are offering now are very different; only a minority of them, those of low value, were on the first list.” At the verge of tears, she added, “some of these new objects are masterpieces.”
Finally, the Hasheva Foundation (an Israeli organisation for the restitution of stolen art) has issued an injunction to stop the sale in the Israeli Supreme court, case HCJ 7847/20. The case has been delayed and was due to be heard in very early January.
Watch room at the L.A. Mayer Museum, Jerusalem.
Overall, the various parties to the sale appear to be iterating to an agreement. The reasons or rationale that prompted the attempted sale now seem to be no longer mentioned. The sale will probably not take place and the items retained by the museum. The only question remains the auction house’s approximate £1.4 million commission from the sale. Under the normal course of business, there is a clause in the terms of the auction that if a government intervenes the sale does not need to go ahead and no commission is payable or forfeited by the seller. In agreeing to the postponement of the sale at the last minute, the museum accepted this clause could be removed so that the commission will be paid to the auction house whether the sale happens or not. There are also allegations that Sotheby’s submitted an incomplete and inaccurate manifest to the IAA and were complicit in selecting the most valuable items for the sale [1].
The ramifications of the planned sale are still reverberating through the Israeli law courts and while the mystery is not yet solved, the essential nagging questions remain. Why is the watch being sold if the museum is not in the financial difficulty it claims to be? Why was the watch the end part of a sale largely comprised of Islamic art? And finally, why was the estimate on the watch over ten times below what it should have been?
Equilibrium
Once the agreement is reached, the Breguet no. 2788 will presumably once again regain its place in the collection at the L. A. Mayer Museum in Jerusalem alongside the more illustrious and talked about 160 “Marie Antoinette”. Of Breguet’s resonance watches, George Daniels declared them as a demonstration of the man’s art, his ability to think and reason. While no. 2788 might not be as lauded or as well-known as the 160, it is nonetheless an important example of his horological genius and searches for new methods of mechanical timekeeping. Such a rare and complete watch should remain in a museum for all to enjoy and marvel at rather than in a safe in a private collection.
Words: Dr Andrew Hildreth
[1] The submission to the Israeli Supreme Court noted that Sotheby’s were called in by the Herman de Stern Foundation in a gross conflict of interest to select the most valuable items for the sale to bolster the Foundation’s funds at the expense of the Museum’s collection and against Israeli law.
Acknowledgements:an investigation of this nature could not have happened without the generous assistance of others. Andrew Cazalet was instrumental in bringing my attention to certain legal matters as well as providing advice on the legal standing and language in documents. Robert Capper, Ankura Consulting Group LLC helped greatly in assessing the financial viability of the foundation. Baruch “Budge” Coutts helped in fact checking some of the elements in the article.
Opening picture: The resonating balance wheels of the Breguet n.2788, an icon of horology, second to none.
US cinema has brought together the two greatest behemoths in film history: Godzilla and King Kong. [Godzilla vs Kong on HBO Max, 26 March.] They have appropriated more than a monster.
It is a movie about a plague of monsters, in a time of plague itself. Godzilla vs. Kong, helmed by director Adam Wingard, is the final part of a so-called “Monsterverse”, its release date has changed more frequently than the COVID restrictions.
Promising the instant carbohydrate that CGI-driven audiences crave, it will show around the world and via HBO Max. Underlying the movie though, are two very different cultural relationships with these monsters that filmmakers have already ignored to their peril.
The original King Kong appeared in 1933 and yielded just 11 further movies in 88 years. Godzilla followed in 1954. Japan’s mutant lizard has been more prolific with 37 films in its 67 years. In fact, Godzilla is a more established icon in America than Kong. He even has his own suffix.
There is a reason why Godzilla has become the more powerful symbol and it is not attributable to special effects. Superior social relevance and symbolism separate the franchises. It should, but most probably won’t, have a bearing on the last instalment’s outcome.
An uncomfortable reality for those who dismiss this series as children’s material is the underlying seriousness with which Japanese audiences regard them.
The other factor at play may also be a lingering sense of plagiarism, some having cited Godzilla as a lift of The Beast from 20,000 Fathoms, another nuclear-bred dinosaur mutation. The original Gojira, however, was highly professional and is afforded near art-house status, so well-honed was its allegorical narrative of nuclear destruction.
Although Godzilla’s exact origins vary, it is generally depicted as an enormous, violent, prehistoric sea monster awakened and empowered by nuclear radiation.
Coming just a dozen years after Pearl Harbour, and fewer since Hiroshima, Godzilla was cast as a product of what we have done to ourselves: let things get out of control. Godzilla is a form of retribution by nature; a walking tsunami. The nuclear elements and Japanese sentiment about America was excised from the US version of the movie to such an extent that William Tsutsui, professor of history at the University of Kansas, wrote in his book, Godzilla on My Mind, that, “The American Godzilla does nothing to jar the … average movie-goer’s entertainment experience with unwanted demands of self-reflection or intellectual engagement.”
Taken out of its own habitat and ecosystem for human pleasure, Kong is a creature capable of more meaningful interaction with humanity, and which, through our agency, meets a tragic end. It is an animal welfare and conservationism tale writ large.
Kong is the known, the knowable; a reflection of what we do to our earth, the sum of our mistreatment. Godzilla is the unknowable, the visitation of our sins, the punishment for our failure. One must die for us to understand ourselves. One is beyond stopping and serves as a warning.
The physical properties of the original characters were vastly different, Godzilla being many times bigger and stronger. While Kong was shot down by bullets atop the Empire State Building, Godzilla was basically indestructible; there is no structure he can climb that won’t collapse beneath him. Like a mudslide or a flood, his destruction is amoral.
Rather than confront or utilise this difference, Wingard and Legendary, as Universal did in the only other meeting of the two in 1963, have simply upscaled Kong and done away with differentiators.
With its empathy for humanity, Kong draws a tear when he dies. The love between a monkey and model cannot repeat itself with a 400-foot radioactive lizard with whom there is no reasoning. We do not cry for Godzilla: we should cry for ourselves and for what we did to deserve him.
In Wingard’s epic monster clash, Kong forms a unique bond with orphaned girl Jia (Kaylee Hottle).
The most recent Japanese instalment, Shin Godzilla (known as Godzilla Resurrected to Western audiences) internationalises the dilemma by using pressure from the US on the Japanese to contain the creature by the use of nuclear weaponry, one of several dark ironies enjoyed by a more sophisticated domestic audience.
The indestructibility and magnitude of Godzilla allow this scale of drama but also has domestic parallels; for instance, in whether it might be necessary to shoot down an airliner full of passengers which has been hijacked and is being flown to the Pentagon.
Godzilla represents the balance between humankind and nature. His purpose is to re-impose on us our lost humility. Kong is simply a large-scale lab monkey.
The American track record on misunderstanding this subtext was plunged to a new low by Roland Emmerich in 1998, who re-cast it along Jurassic Park lines, resulting in a movie that even now is reviled by audiences who usually embrace this genre. Among myriad faults, Emmerich simply had the air force shoot Godzilla dead.
While the Japanese have, occasionally, killed off Godzilla, they do so only when he is cast as hostile. He is lured into a volcano, or cryogenically frozen. It cannot be done conventionally. You don’t stop a tornado with a Tommy gun.
Wingard’s take on the epic clash between the two titans comes to theatres in March.
Gareth Edwards’ 2014 version succeeded. But in a shrunken head warning to Wingard, the middle movie Godzilla, King of the Monsters, by Michael Dougherty, overloading with Kaiju content, barely broke even. The plot, in a monster movie, is the major challenge, not CGI.
What Dougherty did do, building on Edwards’ work, and as many of the Japanese movies did before them, was establish a more sympathetic Godzilla.
To the Japanese, and for Edwards, Godzilla lies between mankind and potential extinction. This ironic humanisation, casting Godzilla as half-threat, half-saviour, works up to a point. But now, Kong and Godzilla are occupying similar emotional territory. Who are we rooting for, and why?
Confusingly, for battle, Kong must be super-sized and meaner, further subverting their traditional roles. Changing the nature of the combatants removes part of their central fascination. CGI will bring in the money – 1963’s King Kong v Godzilla was comfortably the franchise’s most successful instalment – but achieving that elusive emotional and critical success will be harder.
Godzilla saving Kong would be the ideal resolution, capitalising on the underlying audience sentiment; since 1933, audiences have always wanted Kong to be saved. But don’t bet on it.
Wingard’s movie is marketed with the strapline: One must fall! We must hope Wingard and Legendary have understood the cultural drivers well enough to ensure that the real battle isn’t between ratings and credibility.
All images but Godzilla in Tokyo courtesy of Legendary Entertainment.
In all my years watching film and television, I truly doubt any other picture has had me pausing to research facts, scenarios, and characters as often as The Serpent has. The fact that this series is heavily based on real-life events shocks, amazes and intrigues me to no end.
When reading the synopsis beforehand, you are told of guests mysteriously getting ill in a gem dealer’s apartment in Bangkok. It sounds interesting enough to make you want to at least watch the first of the eight episodes in the series. In the very first scene, you see said gem dealer getting interviewed by a woman in front of the camera. She is asking penetrating and intense questions: “Are you a dangerous man? Have you committed murder?” The gentleman stays cool and composed as he dodges answering directly, calmly stating that the not only have the courts failed to prove that he is a killer, but also he now cannot face trial anywhere else in the world. This clip is enough for me to eagerly want to see this through to the end.
We are now taken into the life of this man years back in Bangkok, to his plush private apartment complex complete with a pool, where he invites young Thai locals and tourists to party and indulge in drinks and conversation. The man is very dapperly dressed, well-spoken, exudes confidences and wealth and has a stunning young lady as his wife, played by Jenna Coleman (Emmerdale, Doctor Who). A young Indian man named Ajay enters the soiree, two young ladies either side of him. He introduces them to the host, who welcomes them, asks them to make themselves comfortable and has Ajay to get them drinks. It all seems innocent and fun to start with, but when the gem dealer and his wife retreat upstairs while the party is still in full activity, we get a scope of reality. In one of the rooms, a guest is violently ill on the bed, in his deathly state, he is asking to just go home. His request is ignored, as the gem dealer asks his lady to pass over the sick man’s bag. Inside, several bundles of cash and much more important, his passport, are all snatched. Now we see our man really get to work. With minimal, yet precise tools, we see him forge a new identity for himself, which he uses to take off with his accomplice wife on a first-class flight to Hong Kong to politic a jewellery deal with fellow gem dealers. As you can see, I’ve yet to mention our protagonist’s name. Due to his fraudulent exploits, it takes a few episodes till we actually get his correct name, but I digress…
Inspired by the true story of a criminal who preyed on tourists in Asia in the ‘70s, The Serpent is the latest true-crime drama to binge during lockdown.
While in Hong Kong, our man doesn’t miss on a chance to scout for fresh victims in new soil, and he quickly sets his eyes on a young Dutchman in a jewellery store who is looking for a ring for his love. The shady dealer quickly befriends and entices the mark with promises of cheaper prices on the rarest of stones. While watching I remember asking myself why was this man so gullible but one must remember this is the mid-’70s and at this time, you wouldn’t have that much reason to be untrusting, especially of a man so sharply dressed, accompanied by such a beautiful woman, both looking well paid and versed in the game of diamonds. But at least now we the viewers are wise to the format of his ruse. Once he gets his mark comfortable, he slips potent sedatives in their drink until they are unconscious, then makes off with all their valuables, including their passports, so he can reface them and travel to new destinations to continue his exploits.
I won’t let how passionately I enjoyed this series get me carried away and spoil too much of the show for you. Trying my best to briefly summarise, I’ll tell you that he convinces the Dutchman to travel back to Bangkok with his to-be wife in order to broker a deal for a prestige gem for her ring. Of course, once they arrive at their premises instead of the couple’s planned hotel, he serenades them until their guard is down, then drugs them till they are unable to escape, so he can make off with what he needs from them.
It was thanks to Dutch diplomat Herman Knippenberg that Sobhraj was finally brought to justice.
The disappearance of this young couple alerts a Dutch diplomat, Herman Knippenberg, who works at the embassy in Thailand. Luckily, Knipperberg has a heavy sense of patriotic duty to his country and doesn’t leave the enquiry to the necessary local law enforcement, who would surely do close to nothing. Instead, he embarks on a relentless pursuit, slowly piecing together and discovering and uncovering a long trail of missing tourists from other countries. The process takes years.
At the start of the series, the gem dealer introduces himself to victims as Alan Gautier, the first name the sleuthing diplomat comes across through his investigations. Slowly he discovers that many more identities have been assumed by Gautier and eventually finds out his real name: Charles Sobhraj, originally from France, and that of his so-called wife: Marie, from Canada.
Such a life cannot go undisturbed forever, many residents become wise to Charles’s antics, so he and Marie must keep constantly on their toes, changing residence and countries with Herman and his team of non-official detectives hot on their heels. Charles manages to stay one step ahead for years, but in order to keep free and afford his extravagant lifestyle, he always needs fresh victims, eventually precipitating his downfall.
Marie Andree-Leclerc, (Monique in the series), is played by British actress Jenna Coleman.
Eventually, Herman’s efforts, along with Charles’s constant string of victims (some of whom are killed in horrific ways: burnt alive, drown, stabbed…), bring on a police manhunt throughout many countries, of course, Thailand, but also including India, Afghanistan, France and Nepal.
Charles’s life is not all fancy apartments and first-class flights. There are a few occasions where he is caught and spends some time in jail, but cases never stick thanks to countries not corresponding with each other, authorities not knowing his true identity and of course, through Charles’s sheer cunning and ability to articulate himself in such a way that most people doubt he could be so bastardly.
I must admit that after finishing the series, I was so fascinated by Charles Sobhraj’s story that I felt compelled to watch a documentary on him to learn more and to compare notes with the fictional work. Not only is the series as accurate as it can be (really only names were changed, locations and scenarios were precise!) but Charles had also committed crimes in many more countries, including Greece and Turkey. The documentary tells that the rivalry between Greece and Turkey lead them to refuse to share documents regarding Sobhraj’s cases, so it was impossible to convict him and so he slipped free.
French actor Tahar Rahim gives a most impressive performance as fraudster and murderer Charles Sobhraj.
What I enjoyed most about the show is the constant darting back and forth through the timeline of Charles’s career. In one scene, we are bang in the middle of where life is great and he is fully reaping the benefits of his capers, then in the next, we revert back to when he first met Marie and learn how they come to fall in love, and a third will bring us to the latter years when the authorities are hot on his tail, he has run out of money and is living with some drug addicts in poverty. With the chips completely down, Charles and Marie get at each other’s necks as all their plans have failed. This really allows the viewer to soak up the ups and downs of his crazy life.
French actor Tahar Rahim plays Charles. I’ve never seen any of his prior work but I must say I was very impressed with his performance in this piece. He captures a calculated, composed, stylish, disciplined, super intellectual killer in the most credible way. You just want to know more…
The Serpentis written by Richard Warlow for BBC and is available through Netflix, currently only outside of the UK.
Although I am a great lover of art and very fond of ballet, I’ve never been a big fan of both of them combined (no Degas for me I’m afraid) until now. The man who has made me changed my mind is award-winning aerial photographer Brad Walls (also known as Bradscanvas) and his body of work Ballerine de l’air.
Last July, this young Australian photographer caught the attention of the world with his “Pools from above” series, garnering him and his work worldwide attention, being compared to the likes of David Hockney and Slim Aarons. He was also awarded First Prize in the Sports category and Runner up in9 people category at the inaugural 2020 Aerial Photography Awards in Paris and placed as Runner-Up at the Drone Photo Art Awards 2020 in Siena.
“Social Gathering”, from Walls’s series “Pools from Above”.
Walls has always enjoyed exploring the unknown, and in his own words, “Naturally the most appropriate medium at the time was photography.” Although as a teenager he started with a handheld camera, he wasn’t really taken by it. In 2018, he purchased one of the first consumer drones and he realised that is what he wanted to do. “I knew that the compositions were going to be super different, working on perfecting what I call the close-up, top-down aerial image.” Over the years, he has developed his very own form of art focusing on experimentation with negative space, minimalism and colour theory.
Ballerine de l’air was initially inspired by an image by Olive Cotton, Teacup ballet. Walls began exploring the concept in early 2020, pinning ideas to a virtual inspiration board that consisted of shadows, shapes and tutus, stating that “Most people had seen ballet photographed traditionally… and while those photos are undeniably beautiful, I wanted to rewrite the composition, purely focusing on the unique shapes and shadows of the art form.”
‘Ballerine de l’air’ offers the viewer a unique contrast between light and shadow.
Offering an alternate view is the foundation of Walls’s work. With Ballerine de l’air, the artist wanted to invite audiences to experience a different fresh and intimate perspective of ballet, whilst still capturing all its beauty. “I had photographed people from above – including Olympians and models – and while those shots were very compelling, I knew here that combining such a prestigious art form with an alternate view would truly be the embodiment of my work,” stated Walls.
He contacted Montana Rubin, a member of the corps de ballet within the prestigious Australian Ballet. Because of the pandemic, Rubin was not currently performing on stage, nor working as usual and thus, she took no convincing to shoot with Walls, saying, “With his clean aesthetic and attention to detail, I was excited to see how our worlds could mesh,” additionally commenting that “Brad’s unique viewpoint also gave me an opportunity to see my art form quite literally from a different perspective.”
Walls chose two contrasting locations to shoot in – the first being a warehouse featuring barren concrete floors, contrasting against the ballerinas’ soft movements, and the second being a private event space with picturesque floor tiling, complementing the visual aesthetic of Rubins’ tutu. In this series, Walls and Rubin explore traditional ballet positions, as well as experiment with non-traditional shapes, specially-tailored to be viewed from above. “It was imperative to pay homage to the art of ballet, whilst at the same time adding a new, modern spin which incorporated positions and shapes that were beyond the traditional art form,” Walls explains. He goes on to share a specific anecdote from the shoot, in which he asked Rubin to play with the shadow created by her movements via the light, recalling that “Watching an artist (Rubin) truly lose herself in her art form was truly a spine-tingling moment and a moment that a photographer can end up waiting many years to experience – if they get to experience it at all.”
Walls’s photographs show both the softness and the profound strength and discipline of ballerinas.
The result is a stunning combination of images that offer the viewer a unique contrast between light and shadow. In some, this contrast is used by Walls to create volume, whilst in others, he presents us with completely flat shots, devoid of any shadows. “That’s why I chose two locations,” he explains, “I wanted the audience to feel both a softness with the tiled texture whilst showing the profound strength and discipline on the concrete backdrop.”
The effect is not limited to a purely aesthetic experience. Walls’s unusual approach enables the viewer to view ballet in a profound new way. From his point of view, “Many of the photographs emphasising the shadow enable the viewer to show both how flexible and strong ballerinas are, whilst a front on a traditional camera may not have been able to achieve the same effect. In summary with all of my compositions, I want to intrigue the viewer to ask more questions about the subject matter, I believe the alternate perspective enables this notion.”
I’ve been really surprised by the Walls’s creativity and I wholeheartedly recommend you have a look at the rest of his work. I am confident we are going to hear a lot about this young artist in the years to come.
